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Chapter 12: "Daniel"

A heavy silence fell over the room. Aiden could only look on as Max stared into her tea, a deep sadness in her eyes. The fox hated seeing her like this; someone as kind as Max should never look so sad. He wanted to cheer her up, bring out her smile again, but he wasn't sure how,. Maybe bringing up happier memories would help. "What was he like?"

"Hm?" Max glanced up, looking as if in a daze. She had been so lost in thought that she had forgotten Aiden was even there.

"Your brother," Aiden clarified, "what was he like?"

Max paused, her mind racing back through the years, and the faintest hint of a smile crept across her face, though the sadness remained in her eyes. "Danny was the best big brother I could ever hope for. He was smart and kind, always with a smile on his face. No matter how busy he was, he would always make time for me. He would always play with me when I asked, even going to my little tea parties with my stuffed animals. He'd even wear little dresses and what not if I told him too, just because it made me happy. He'd always cheer me up if I was sad, and stay up with me when I had a nightmare, keeping me company until I fell back to sleep. Danny was my whole world back then."

"He sounds like a great brother." Aiden smiled warmly. "I can see why you two were close."

"Oh, very close." Max chuckled. "I may have been a bit possessive of him; always bugging him and taking up a lot of his free time, but he didn't seem to mind. I even insisted that he be the one to pick me up from Cheryl's when I would go play at the bakery, though that could have just been because he'd always buy me ice cream on the way home."

Her face suddenly grew somber again. "Of course, if I hadn't been so insistent, if I'd have just let Mom or Dad drive to pick me up, Danny might still be alive."

"You can't mean that." Aiden hesitated, not sure how to interpret her. "I'm sure it isn't as bad as that, right?"

Max was already shaking her head. "I remember that day very clearly, Aiden, no matter how hard I try to forget it." Max took a deep breath, staring deeply into her tea, though her eyes were looking through her reflection and into the past.

"It was just about ten years ago; Danny was only fifteen then. I remember him saying that in just a few more months he'd get his driver's license and drive me everywhere. I remember it being a nice, sunny afternoon. I was playing with Cheryl at her house, the two of us coloring with chalk on the sidewalk in front of the bakery. Customers would smile warmly at us and our usual childish games, and Mrs. Goodwin would bring us snacks and watch us through the storefront window. It really was just another ordinary day.

"It was getting late in the afternoon when I heard Danny call my name from across the street. He was right there, just twenty or so feet away from me. I ran to meet him, but he told me to stay put. I wasn't allowed to cross the street by myself yet. So I waited for the traffic sign to turn green, eager to show him what I had drawn. Finally the light changed and he started to cross, smiling and waving at me as he got closer.

"It all happened so fast, I'm not sure I even saw it clearly. All I remember is a sudden red flash and a strong breeze rushing past me, followed by the sound of screeching tires. My brother was gone. I heard Cheryl cry out first as she ran inside to get her mom. When I looked down the street, a red car was stopped in the middle of the road. An older man had gotten out of the car, and was just standing there frozen.

"I walked as if in a daze, wanting to see what happened. When I walked around the car, I finally saw what happened to Danny. His body lay in a crumpled heap in the road, a puddle of... blood, slowly pooling beneath him. I rushed over, shaking him, trying to get him to wake up so we could go home. But he didn't move, didn't even say a word. He just lay there, eyes wide and frozen, staring ahead but not looking at anything. Mrs. Goodwin eventually pulled me away, hiding me from the scene as an ambulance eventually came to take him to the hospital."

Max took a deep breath, then drank more of her tea. Her body trembled slightly as she continued to remember that day so long ago. "My mom was crying the entire time we were at the hospital. Daddy just sat there in silence. Eventually the doctor came in and spoke to my parents. I didn't know what he said, but I remember my mom wailing, crying like never before, even falling to her knees. Daddy tried to remain strong, doing his best to listen to the doctor. When it was over, I asked when we would get to see Danny, and when we could all go home. He tried to explain to me that Danny had passed away, and wasn't coming home. I guess that was just too much for him, and we all cried for Danny. It was the only time I ever saw my father cry."

Max was visibly shaking at this point. She felt a lump form in her throat, making it hard to continue. This was the first time she had thought about that day in years, and it was still incredibly painful to think about.

A hand on her shoulder made her jump, but she calmed quickly once she realized it was Aiden, his soft blue eyes looking on her kindly. "It's okay, you don't have to continue."

He gave her shoulder a squeeze, and Max felt her heart jump. The fox was being so kind and understanding, his compassion surprised her. But it helped her feel calmer as well. "No, I want to keep going. I want to tell you everything."

Wiping away a few tears, Max collected her thoughts and memories. It hurt, but her story was almost done anyway. "I found out years later that the doctors said Danny had died on impact, that he didn't suffer. It was a small consolation; our entire family was destroyed after that. I remember for weeks, when I first woke up each day, I'd run straight into Danny's room, hoping to see him sitting there, waiting for me. I thought my mom would never wear anything but black again, and my dad would spend an hour each day just staring at all the awards Danny had won. It was the most depressing year of my life."

"I'm sorry." Aiden offered, unsure of what else to say. He moved his hand to the middle of her back, hoping it would bring her some comfort. He couldn't even imagine the pain she had experienced.

Max did lean into Aiden's touch a bit. For some reason she found him easy to talk to. She took another sip of her tea, to keep her nerves calm. "We all did eventually move on. We all still miss him of course, but I know he wouldn't want us to mourn for him forever. Me and Mom eventually went back to living normally. But Daddy... my father, he took it the hardest. He eventually moved all of those awards into Danny's room, which became a sort of time capsule. All his stuff is still in there to this day." She chuckled sadly. "I know it sounds kinda sad, but I guess my parents just couldn't bring themselves to throw any of it away.

"But yeah, my dad was never the same. He used to smile all the time. I haven't seen him really laugh or smile like that since the accident. It was shortly after that when he started really paying attention to my grades and took a strong interest in my studies." She saw Aiden give her a curious look and knew an explanation was in order. "You see, Danny wasn't just a great older brother. He was also a certified genius. Some people even said he was a child prodigy. He always had top marks and was ranked first in his class. He was even advanced a grade, and was planning on going to M.I.T. Daddy was so proud of him."

Max's expression changed, a slight scowl marking her face. "After he was gone, my father started putting the pressure on me. I didn't realize it at the time, but I eventually figured out that he wanted me to live up to Danny's achievements and be a genius too. I was just a little girl then, so it was easy for me to do well. Elementary school isn't hard. But when I got into junior high, the classes got tougher, and my father was the first to notice my grades slipping."

Her grip on the mug tightened as she brought up memories she preferred to keep deeply buried. "I learned fast that I'm not as smart as Danny was. He barely ever had to study, and still got perfect grades. I had to spend hours studying for each test just to get an average score. But that wasn't good enough for my father. He demanded perfection. He wanted me to aim for Ivy League, and I was expected to do whatever it took. So I worked and I studied. I spent all of my free time getting extra help and doing bonus assignments and everything else I could to keep my grades up."

Aiden wanted to say something to comfort her, though he wasn't sure what, when she suddenly stood up, pacing about the room as grief gave way to frustration and anger. "I did everything he asked of me and I gave up my life to do it. I lost almost all my friends because I didn't have time for them. Like I said, I'm not smart, so it took a lot to maintain my grades, which still averaged around a B. It was never enough for my father though. 'You'll never get into M.I.T or Harvard with those grades, young lady'. I gave up everything, even though I hated it, for his damn dream.

"The worst part is, I never even wanted to go to Harvard! I was young, I didn't know what I wanted to do yet. It wasn't until the start of my second year of high school that I even had an idea of what I'd like to do." She paused, placing her mug on her desk before bracing herself against it. She glanced over at the posters on her wall, a mix of sadness and longing in her eyes. "All I wanted to do was try out for the school musical. It was a performance of Grease, and I just wanted to be a part of it, any part. I thought that, since I had managed to keep my grades up, Daddy might let me try out for it, as long as I promised not to let it affect my grades."

Max let out a deep, heavy sigh as her gaze turned downward. "That's a waste of time," she parroted her father. "Singing and acting won't get you anywhere. Just focus on your school work. End of discussion." She felt a few tears welling up again. "I was so upset. Out of defiance I went ahead and tried out anyway. I planned to do it behind his back, to prove to him I could act in the play and keep my grades. I even got a pretty good part. Not the lead, but an important role nonetheless. Somehow, he found out, and I don't know what he did, but I was suddenly told I couldn't perform anymore.

"I was so mad at him. It was the only thing I wanted to do, and he took it away from me. We had a huge fight that night, and it was the first time I told him that I was never speaking to him again. I stopped trying so hard at school, too. I didn't drop out or anything. I just let my grades slip to my true level. Father was furious, and I was glad. If I couldn't do what I wanted, then I wasn't going to do what he wanted, either. I got some superficial friends, and had fun the last few years of high school. All out of spite for my father."

Max sat down on the bed right next to Aiden, hugging her arms as her emotions came full circle. "Looking back, I was miserable the whole time. I learned how to fake it pretty well, but I ended up fighting with Daddy a lot. I admit, I looked at the pills in the medicine cabinet more than once but, I just couldn't do it." A few tears started to roll down her cheeks as she found herself leaning against Aiden's shoulder. "I just stopped trying and gave up on everything. I'm surprised Cheryl didn't bail on me too. Maybe my father was right. God, I'm such a horrible person."

She sobbed as the tears poured forth again, unable to handle all her doubts and emotions anymore. Aiden brought his arm around her, pulling her in close to his chest and rubbing her back softly. "I don't think you're a horrible person. I think you're very kind, and very strong."

"No I'm not." Max bawled into his chest. "I'm a weak coward who gave up on everything."

Aiden sighed, hugging her close. "You are strong, for being able to handle all this sadness on your own. It's clear you've kept all this inside for a very long time, not bothering anyone else with your grief. But you have real friends now, Max. Friends who really care about you and want to help you. You don't have to bear this burden alone anymore."

Max didn't respond to him, but her sobbing did lessen as she took his words to heart. His voice, his embrace, even his scent was soothing right now, and Max didn't want to say anything anymore. She just wanted to be held and feel loved.

After a few minutes, Max had calmed down enough to pull herself from Aiden's embrace. "Thank you, Aiden." She sniffed, wiping away her last few tears. "I've never told all of that to anyone before. I think I'm feeling a little better now, though."

"I'm glad." Aiden smiled softly, giving her shoulder a comforting squeeze. "And for what it's worth, I don't think your brother would be disappointed in you."

Max nodded, smiling a bit though not so sure of that. At least the fox was making an effort to cheer her up, and right now that's what mattered most to her. She looked at him, and his soft blue eyes, and her smile brightened a bit more. "Y'know, you kinda remind me of him sometimes. You and Danny are both kind and caring, with such big hearts." She leaned against his shoulder, just wanting to be close to him. "It's almost like I still have a big brother again."

"Well I've had quite a lot of practice at it." Aiden chuckled. "So I'd hoped I'd be able to pull it off."

"What?" Max suddenly sat upright again, raising an eyebrow at Aiden. "What do you mean, you've had practice?"

"Oh, well I am a brother, is all I meant." Aiden shrugged. "I have a little sister, Jessica, just a couple years younger than you. She just graduated high school, actually."

Max felt a pang at this news, she wasn't sure why though. "You've never mentioned this before." She leaned back against him, sighing softly as she felt his arm around her comfortingly. If she closed her eyes, just for a moment, it felt like she really was in her big brother's arms again.

A soft knocking dragged her out of her fantasy. She heard Aiden groan as she slowly opened her eyes. "That must be Cheryl." He muttered. "I promised to make her dinner tonight, while you were out with Amy."

"Amy? Oh I almost forgot." Max sighed, sitting up. "I don't think I'm up for going out tonight. I'll have to call her and cancel."

"I'll send Cheryl away, too." Aiden offered. "So you can have some quiet tonight."

"Actually," Max interrupted, "I hate to ask, but can I borrow her for tonight? I know you're dating, but Cheryl is my closest friend, and has been with me through all of this. I think I could use her company tonight."

"Sure thing." Aiden smiled without hesitation as he made his way downstairs.

Max did feel a bit guilty about it, ruining everyone else's plans for the night with her own needs. But she didn't want to be alone tonight, and she didn't know Amy well enough to tell her any of this. She would much rather be with Cheryl, or Aiden. The skunk blushed at that thought, not sure why Aiden was making her feel this way.

"Honey, are you okay?" Cheryl asked as she came to the door, concern in her eyes. "Aiden said you weren't feeling well, and that you wanted to see me."

"Yeah..." Max smiled faintly. She knew how Cheryl would react to the news. It wasn't the first time she had fought with her father, after all. But it was comforting to have such caring friends, ready to drop everything just to deal with her problems. It wouldn't be easy, but Max would make it through this, just like she had so many times before.

---

"Hey Maxi, are you ready to go home?"

The young skunk looked up with a big grin on her face. "Danny! Come look what I drew!" Leaving her chalk drawing unfinished, the young girl started to run to her older brother, but the teen stopped her with an outstretched hand.

"You know you can't cross the street by yourself yet, Maxi. Wait there and I'll come get you, okay?"

"Okay!" Young Maxi beamed, bouncing on her paws as the crossing light turned green. She just knew Danny would love her drawing, and then he'd take her out for ice cream on the way home. Time seemed to slow as he crossed the street, the teen's steps falling slowly. Halfway across the street, he started to turn his head to the side, and in a flash of light, he was gone.

"Danny?" Maxi looked around, but her big brother was nowhere to be found. Confused, she began looking for him. The sky grew dark as she searched, suddenly alone on the street. "Danny, where are you?" She called, but he didn't answer. Fear and panic grew as she kept calling her brother's name, tears beginning to run down her cheeks, but no matter how hard she looked or how loudly she called his name, her brother was gone. She was alone. "Danny!" She cried, curling up in despair. "Please come back, Danny!"

"Danny!" Max suddenly bolted up, panicked and confused as she looked around the dark room. She wasn't alone in the street, but in her own bedroom, safe and sound. It had all been a dream.

"Damnit." She muttered, wiping away a few tears as she tried to calm herself down. She hadn't had that horrible dream in years, but now it was back, and just as horrific as ever. Max couldn't get the terror out of her head, and soon she was hugging her knees and quietly sobbing, unable to ignore the pain.

"Maxi, are you okay?" Cheryl moaned softly, awakened by her friend's sobbing. She had insisted on spending the night after she had learned what had happened. The Torgi had been through fights like these before, and had no intention of leaving the skunk along with her thoughts all night.

When Max didn't answer, Cheryl sat up and wrapped her arms around the girl, holding her close. "Was it the dream again?"

"Uh huh." Max sniffed, feeling calmed by the hug. "Damnit Cheryl, I thought I was past this. I haven't had that dream in so long, I thought I was finally over it."

"It's probably just because you had to think about it again." Cheryl reasoned, gently rubbing the skunk's back. "Remember; it's just a dream. It's not real."

"It feels real." Max whimpered, trying not to think about the nightmare. She took a few deep breaths, trying to calm her breathing. Cheryl held her close, helping her feel grounded, and soon Max felt calm enough to try and go back to sleep, though a part of her was reluctant to, afraid the dream would return.

When they lay back down, Cheryl curled up to Max, snuggling against her and purring softly. "Don't worry. I'll keep the bad dreams away." She promised, aniticipating Max's fears.

"Thank you, Cheryl." Max smiled softly, comforted by the thought. She just had to remind herself that, while her brother was gone, she wasn't alone. With that in mind, she closed her eyes and tried to fall back to sleep. After all, she'd need her sleep for the talks she planned to have that day.

"Cheryl, can I borrow your car tomorrow?" Max asked as she thought about her plans. "I need to make some personal errands, by myself."

"Yeah, no problem.": Cheryl yawned, already half asleep.

"Thanks." The skunk sighed, shutting her eyes and hoping sleep would take her. She would worry more about what she had to say and do in the morning.

---

Max took a deep breath as she pulled into her parent's driveway. It was early in the afternoon, the sun already beginning its descent in the sky, with plenty of hours left before her father would return home from work. It was the perfect time to have a talk with her mother.

"Let's get this over with." Max sighed as she got out of the car and made her way to the door. There she hesitated, a bit of fear and panic gripping at her chest. Could she really have this conversation with her own mother? 'Maybe I should just go back home. She'll never know I was here.' The skunk quickly shook her head at the thought, trying to dismiss her worries. 'No! I have to do this. Better she hear it from me then from Daddy.' Taking a deep breath, she rang the doorbell.

It only took a few moments for her mother to answer the door. "Maxine? Oh, Pumpkin, you never have to ring the bell here. Come in and sit down. Are you hungry? Let me fix you something. What brings you home today?"

"Hi Mom." Max smiled, hugging her mother as she was rushed into the house. "And no, I already ate. I just came by to talk." Despite her protests, her mother insisted on putting together a light snack. Max allowed herself to get distracted by gossiping and discussing pleasantries, but after a while she knew she had to get it over with. She had come here for a reason and had no intention of backing out now. "Mom, there's something I need to tell you."

"Does this have anything to do with why your father was in such a foul mood last night?" Her mother asked knowingly as she sipped her iced tea. When Max winced and glanced away, her mother knew she had hit the mark. "I was afraid something had happened when he came home late, grumbling the entire evening."

"Yeah, he stopped by after work and we had a fight." Max admitted rather gloomily. "Did he already tell you about it?"

"He hasn't told me anything." She sighed. "You know how he gets when he's in one of his moods."

Max nodded, thought she was actually glad he hadn't said anything. Now she could explain things her way. "Mom, I'm sorry, but I haven't exactly been completely truthful with you about my job." She took a deep breath, trying to keep her voice steady. "I'm not just a waitress, though I do serve drinks. The truth is, well, I'm actually a... Mom, I'm a stripper."

She braced herself emotionally for her mother's reaction, not sure how the woman might respond. Her mother just sat there for a moment, processing the news without a sound. Finally she looked at her daughter, her eyes full of compassion. "Oh, Maxine..."

"Don't start with me, Mom." Max instantly cut in, already feeling defensive. "I already got an earful yesterday. I can't handle that again today. I just wanted to be the one to tell you, instead of someone else, like Dad."

"But Honey, stripping? There must have been other options."

Max sighed, already regretting her decision to come here. "When I first started working at the club, I really was just a waitress. Then I was offered a promotion to a dancer position, with a considerable pay raise. I chose the job for myself, and I'm quite happy about it."

"But Maxine, stripping?" Her mother sighed, shaking her head. "It's so degrading, and dangerous. Those clubs are always so filthy, and the people who go there are the worst, so I hear. Oh, to think my poor baby is exposed to such lecherous people."

"It's not like that!" Max countered. "Stop trying to turn my life into an episode of Sixty Minutes. First of all, I actually like stripping. I find it empowering. I show off a little fur and shake my tail, and my clients hand over hundreds of their hard earned dollars. Really, who's using who? Secondly, Stardock 69 is a very clean, high end establishment that has a strict set of rules designed to protect us dancers from the perverts. Really, I'm more likely to get attacked walking down the street than I am while working."

"But what about your reputation? What will people think?" She suddenly gasped. "Oh no wonder your father was upset. What will he do if his colleagues find out? They'll never leave this alone."

"It's not my fault that people are so closed minded." Max huffed, crossing her arms. "Everyone wants to brand us as whores and filth, and most of us are just normal people, who are just trying to make a living. So what if our jobs involve taking off our clothes? There are celebrities who are bigger sluts than most of the people I work with, and the entire world loves them anyway."

Her mother blew out a sigh, unable to come up with an argument against that. "I'm just worried about you, Pumpkin. All your father and I want for you is to be happy."

"Could've fooled me."

"Maxine!"

"Well I'm sorry Mom, but Father has a funny way of showing it." Max huffed, folding her arms defensively. "He didn't want me to be happy. He wanted me to replace Danny."

"Oh you can't really believe that." Her mother frowned, deeply concerned. "Maxine, you know your father took Daniel's death harder than any of us, but you were never a replacement for anyone. He pushed you because he wanted you to be successful."

"Well maybe I wanted to succeed in my own way." Max snapped back. "Maybe I didn't want a perfect grade average and a Ph. D. Maybe I wanted to do something else with my life. Did you or Daddy ever think of that?"

Her mother just stared at her, looking confused and hurt. "Dear, you always had the option to pursue your own interests. We never stopped you from-"

"That's a lie!" Max suddenly snapped, gripping the arms of her chair and fighting back tears. "I did ask Daddy if I could do something for me, something not academic that I really wanted to do. He said no, that it was a waste of time. Then, when I tried anyway, he called the school and blocked me out of it. I was never free to do what I wanted, unless it was what he wanted, too."

Silence filled the room as both women recovered from the exchange. Max felt herself shaking again, but it felt good, in a way, to finally be out with her true feelings, even if it hurt her and her mother. She just couldn't hold it in anymore.

Her mother kept trying to say something, but nothing she could think of sounded right. Though she knew Max had never been completely happy with the way things had gone, she had no idea her daughter had felt this used and ignored. 'How did I not see this?' She questioned. 'Why didn't I do something sooner?' She heaved a heavy sigh, unable to come up with any answers. "Maxine, I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault." Max waved off dismissively, not sure if she felt better or worse because of her mother's apology. "There wasn't anything you could've done. It's not like we can change the past, anyway. I didn't really come here to fight or blame anyone for what happened. I just wanted to be the one to tell you, instead of finding out the way Daddy did." She glanced at her watch then, remembering the other person she needed to see that day. "I should go, Mom. I've got something else to do today."

"Can't you stay a bit longer?" Her mother implored. "Why not stay for dinner? I'll make you a nice, hot meal, just like I used to."

"Sorry Mom, but I really have to get going. Besides, I don't really want to see Daddy. We both said some really strong stuff yesterday. I don't really want a repeat of it today." She got up and started to make for the door.

"Maxine, wait." Her mother called out, stopping her short. "I have to know. Are you happy with that line of work? Do you really enjoy it?"

"Oh yes." Max answered with a soft smile. "I love it actually. I get to meet and perform for all kinds of interesting people. I get to make people laugh and smile, and feel good. I make people happy, Mom. It's a great feeling. For just a few hours a day, I get their full attention, performing for men and women so they can feel good. It's a very rewarding job. I really do love it."

"Alright," Her mother nodded, "that's all I need to know. You're an adult, and as long as you're happy with your choices, and aren't doing anything illegal, I suppose I can't argue with you. I may not approve, mind you, but I won't tell you what you can and can't do."

"Thanks Mom." Max smiled as they hugged. "All I want is to live my life, my way, and to make you both proud with what I can do."

"I've been proud of you every day of your life." Her mother smiled, holding her daughter close. "I may not always agree with your choices, but I am proud of you, and I love you."

"I love you too, Mom." Max sniffed, breaking the hug but still feeling it's warmth. "I'll try to call more often, I promise."

"I know you will. Take care, Pumpkin."

Max left her parent's house in surprisingly good spirits. Though, her mother had always been more understanding than her father. But, the day wasn't over yet. There was still one person she needed to talk to.

---

Once again Max found herself sitting in the car, drumming her fingers on the steering wheel as she built up the nerve to get out of the car and even approach the building. She glanced out the window at the employee entrance to Stardock 69 and felt her resolve falter. "Damnit." she muttered, before finally getting out of the car. This was proving to be tougher than speaking to her mother. Then again, she could predict her mother's reactions. Mistress Vanessa was an unknown.

Trying not to think about it, the skunk stormed her way inside. She said nothing as she made her way through the dressing room, making a beeline for the Mistress's office. Trying to keep her voice calm, she walked right up to the reception desk. "Ray, I need to speak with Mistress Vanessa."

"Mistress Vanessa is busy right now." Ray answered without even looking up from his computer. "I may be able to book you an appointment for tomorrow... maybe Thursday."

"No Ray," Max scowled, "I am going to see the Mistress now." Without another word she sidestepped the desk, making for the stairs.

"Hey wait, you can't just go up there!" Ray suddenly lunged, grabbing Max by the arm.

Max instantly paused, turning a stern glare the meerkat's way. "Ray, have you ever smelled skunk spray before?"

"Uh... no?"

"Well unless you want to be smelling it for the next week, I suggest you let go of my arm."

Ray backed off quickly, not sure how serious the skunk really was. He could only watch as she stormed up the stairs. "I... I better warn the Mistress."

Max didn't hesitate when she got to the office doors, knowing she might lose her nerve if she took the time to think. The skunk instead barged through those doors, pausing only a moment when she saw Mistress Vanessa already looking her way from behind that large desk, as if expecting her. "You know, while that choker does extend to you certain privileges, you do not have unlimited access to me. I am a very busy woman."

Max didn't respond right away, shutting the doors and storming across the office to the desk. She looked right into Vanessa's eyes, one brown, the other golden, trying to keep her emotions calm. "You promised me."

"Excuse me?"

"You promised me." She stuttered again, feeling herself starting to shake. "You told me my photos wouldn't appear publicly. You said they'd only be used in adult magazines. You told me not to worry about it." Her voice was starting to crack as she felt the pain of betrayal return. "You lied to me."

"Now wait just a moment." Vanessa stopped her, sitting back a bit. "Domino, I have no idea what you're talking about. I personally assigned each photo for each advertising slot. Your photos were only going to be used in Playboy and Penthouse, just like I told you."

"Then why did my father see me half naked on a billboard over the interstate?!" Max broke down at this point, leaning against the desk and sobbing heavily as fresh tears rolled down her cheek. "Y-you promised me..."

Vanessa was around the desk and at Max's side in an instant. "Come on, Honey. Let's not cry now. Come over here, sit down, and slowly tell me what's happened." The fennec sat her down in the sitting area to the side and got her a small bottle of water. "Now, what's all this about a billboard? I know I assigned that spot for..."

"Mistress," Rays voice called over the intercom, "I'm sorry but I couldn't stop her either. Miss Diamond is on her way up."

The doors once again burst open as an irate wolf stormed into the office. "Mistress! What the hell is that bitch doing on my billboard?!"

She slammed the doors shut and stalked towards the pair. "Mistress, I personally asked for that billboard space, and you promised me I'd have it. What the hell happened?" She didn't notice Max until she was right next to her, and the wolf's ire quickly intensified. "You? You did this, didn't you? You just had to take the prime spot again, didn't you?" When she didn't respond, Diamond nearly lost it. "Look at me, you fucking bitch!"

Diamond grabbed for the distraught skunk, who was too lost in grief to answer, when Vanessa intervened, forcing the wolf to sit in the opposite chair. "She had nothing to do with it, Diamond. In fact, she asked not to be on the billboard. It was supposed to go to you."

"Then why is her fat ass on it?" Diamond demanded, eliciting a glare from Max.

"I don't know yet, but I have an idea. You two just sit here and keep quiet. I'll fix everything." With a scowl on her own face, the Mistress returned to her desk, clicking the intercom. "Ray, I need Walter Schleck in my office, A.S.A.P."

"I'm sorry Mistress, but I don't think he's in the club today. It's hard to keep track of the weasel."

"I don't care what you have to do, "Vanessa growled, "just get that man in my office now." With another click the intercom went silent. The Mistress sighed before turning her chair to look out into the club. She could already feel a headache forming. It was going to be a long night.

Diamond crossed her arms and huffed, glaring at the silent skunk sitting across from her. She watched as Max quietly drank her water, letting out the occasional sniffle while avoiding eye contact. Everything about that girl irritated the wolf. "What are you so upset about, princess?"

"None of your business." Max muttered in response, shooting an annoyed glare at Diamond. "What do you care, anyway?"

Diamond sneered at that. She quickly glanced towards the Mistress, who had her back turned to them. Still, she had to be careful what she said here. She didn't want to upset the Mistress's 'chosen one'. "You took my billboard, skank." She growled quietly. "Why do you always get all the special attention?"

"I didn't want it!" Max suddenly snapped at her. "I asked not to be put on that billboard, damnit." She sank deeper in her chair, taking a deep breath to calm herself. The last thing Max wanted was to cry in front of Diamond. "You can have the damn billboard."

"Why, isn't that considerate of you." Diamond snarled. "Willing to give me what's supposed to be mine to begin with. How nice of little miss popular to think of those she's stepped on to get to the top."

"Shut up!" Max suddenly shouted, feeling herself breaking down again. "I'm so tired of you treating me like crap! I've never done anything to you!"

"Like hell you haven't." Diamond snapped back. "You think you're so pretty and perfect, getting all the attention after what; a year? I've got way more seniority that you! I should be getting the perks before you!"

"Enough, both of you!" Mistress Vanessa silenced them, turning in her chair enough to glare at them with her right, brown eye. "Nobody received any perks they didn't earn or deserve, and I'll take care of the billboard. Now both of you be quiet."

"Yes Mistress." The both answered before returning to quietly sulking, occasionally shooting dirty looks at one another.

Vanessa watched them for a bit, her concern growing. 'This isn't good for business. A little rivalry is fine, but the two of them are overdoing it. I'll have to fix that next. after I deal with...'

As if on queue, Walter Schleck suddenly burst through the door. "Hey babe. You called for me?" With an arrogant smirk he strutted through the office, throwing a couple of unwanted winks at Domino and Diamond as he walked past. He then dropped into a chair across from the Mistress, resting his paws on the edge of her desk. "So, to what do I owe the pleasure.?"

Vanessa stared at those paws for a few seconds as her irritation grew. She had to take a deep breath to keep her professional demeanor. "Mr. Schleck, there seems to be a bit of confusion over the new advertising, and I was hoping you could clarify a few things. About a week ago, I finalized the spots for each advertising opportunity, personally hand selecting each photo for each spot. Then I passed them off to you for publishing, correct?"

"Yeah, sounds about right." Schleck answered coolly, giving an uninterested shrug.

"Right. Well then would you care to explain to me why Domino is featured on the billboard over the interstate, when I had selected Diamond for that slot?"

"Yeah, I changed it." The weasel responded, as if it were no big deal.

Vanessa just stared at him, waiting for an explanation that didn't seem forthcoming. "Mr. Schleck, why did you change my selection?"

"Why? Well, branding of course." He got out of the chair and began pacing in front of his desk. "Look, my job is to increase awareness and appeal of your product. The only way to do that is by showing off the best example of your product you have to offer in every way possible. For you, your product is sex appeal, and the dancers who work here."

He walked over to the two dancers, leaning against Domino's chair. "While it's no lie that Diamond has great sex appeal, Domino is your frontrunner choice for bringing in new crowds. Just look at those massive, perfectly formed tits. That round, tight ass you could bounce a quarter off of. And let's not forget those legs that go all the way. Domino should be your main source of advertising, Vanessa. Put her ass on everything, and I promise you your revenue will sky rocket."

"But I don't want to be in all the advertising." Max interrupted, cringing away from Schleck and feeling rather violated. "I don't want everyone to know that I'm a stripper."

"What?" Schleck leaned over the girl, causing her to recoil a bit further. "Don't you see? I can make you a star. This place is just the first step on the road to greatness for you. Let me handle your promoting and you'll be able to be whatever you want. It'll be easy with your looks. Especially with melons like these." He suddenly lunged forward and squeezed one of Max's breasts, causing her squeal and shrink into her chair.

"Mr. Schleck!" Vanessa cried, and the weasel quickly stood upright, holding his hands in the air with an innocent, though unapologetic look. "You went over my head, you changed my order, you made me break my promises, and now you've molested one of my girls." She glared at him, her eyes full of contempt and restrained anger. "You're fired."

Walter Schleck froze at that, unable to believe what he was hearing. "Wait, you can't fire me. After all I've done for you? For this club? And you're going to fire me over changing your billboard?"

"Your actions caused me to break my promises," the fennec explained, "and I never break my promises. Furthermore, you went over my head and altered my commands. In this club, I am pharaoh, and my word is law. No one can change my law. And no one can ever feel up one of my girls without their consent. Now, are you going to leave peacefully, or do you need an escort?"

"This is insane." Schleck stammered. "You're insane. I made this company a small fortune and now you're going to fire me because of some stupid promises you made to some of your damn whores? You're making a huge mistake here."

The Mistress responded by clicking on her intercom. "Ray, please send up some security."

"You crazy bitch. You're going to regret this!"

"Not likely." Vanessa replied coolly. "In truth, I've regretted hiring you from the start. I simply didn't have reason enough to be rid of you until now. I think I'll handle my own advertising from here on out."

Before Walter Schleck could say another word, two of the rather muscular security personnel entered. Vanessa simply had to point at the weasel for them to know what to do, and he soon found himself being dragged out of the office. "You bitch! I'll ruin you for this! Do you hear me? I'll tear this whole company down!" He turned his eyes towards Max as he was dragged away. "You'll pay for this too, whore! You'll all pay! No one crosses Walter Schleck!" And with that the doors were closed on him, though his muffled ranting could still be heard.

Mistress Vanessa approached the girls and lowered her head apologetically. "I am sorry to both of you. Never before have I broken a promise. But I will do all I can to make it right. Diamond, I am going to call today and fix the billboard. Your picture will be up there as soon as possible, just as I promised."

"Thank you, Mistress." Diamond bowed in return.

"Domino, I'm afraid I can't change what's happened. I am sorry your father found out like this. If there is anything I can do to make it right, just tell me."

Max shrugged, wiping away a tear. "I don't know what you can do. I guess it was only a matter of time before he found out. I just wish I had more control over the matter." She sighed, hugging herself and trying to get over what Schleck had said, and the feel of his hands on her. "I... I'm sorry. I have to go. I need to rest. Thank you for everything, Mistress."

"Of course." Vanessa snagged the girl in a hug before letting her leave. "If you think of any way I can help, don't hesitate to tell me."

"Okay." Was all Max responded with before leaving the office. At this point she was too emotionally drained to deal with any more of this. She still had to return Cheryl's car before she would even get the chance to go home and just collapse in bed.

---

"No... Danny... NO!" Max suddenly bolted upright, once again awakened by that horrible nightmare. She sat in bed, hugging her knees and trying to ignore the cold sweat, the enveloping darkness, and the crushing loneliness. But this time, she really was alone in her room.

"Damnit..." She muttered as she wiped away her tears. "I am not alone. I am not alone. I am..." It wasn't helping. The skunk's heart was racing and she could barely breath. If she didn't do something, Max knew she'd fall into a full blown panic attack.

"I need a drink." She murmured, quickly getting out of bed and making her way to the kitchen, turning on every light on the way. She downed a glass of water and was working on her second when she felt her heart jump. Her mind kept replaying the dream over and over, and no matter what she did, she couldn't calm herself down.

"God fucking damnit." Max muttered as she curled up on the floor, cradling her legs and rocking back and forth. Her heart was racing so fast, and she could feel the tears starting to well up. "I'm not alone, damnit. I'm not alone." She shut her eye tight, and visions of her brother flashed in her mind. "No. Damnit, anything but that." She tried to think of something else, and the first thing that came to mind was Aiden. "Yeah, Aiden's here..."

She quickly scrambled to her paws to shut off the lights and head back upstairs, pausing outside Aiden's door. She just needed to not be alone. Just this one night. She opened the door with a bit of trepidation. "Aiden?"

The fox was curled up in bed, sound asleep. Max swallowed nervously, but even just the sight of him was making her feel better. If she could just hear his voice; feel his touch. She sneaked her way over to the bed and shook his shoulder. "Aiden? Aiden?"

"Mm?" Aiden rolled over, half awake. "Max? What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry, Aiden." Max muttered, nervously twirling a strand of her hair. "I had a bad dream, and I can't calm down. Can I stay with you for a bit?"

Aiden propped himself up on his elbows as his sleepy brain tried to process. "Um, yeah sure. Stay for as long as you need to." He shifted over and pulled the sheets aside, letting her crawl into bed next to him.

"Thank you, Aiden." As soon as she was under the covers, she curled up against the fox, needing to feel his warmth and presence. She felt her heart finally begin to calm down as he lazily wrapped an arm around her, already halfway back to sleep. "You don't mind me sleeping here?" She asked cautiously.

"It's okay." He muttered through a yawn. "My sister used to do this too, when she had nightmares."

Max smiled, snuggling in and getting comfortable. "You really are a good big brother... just like him." She yawned, Aiden's kindness enough to calm her down so she could finally sleep. "I'm not... alone." She muttered one last time into his chest as a peaceful sleep fell over her.